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Autodesk University 2011, Part 3: BIM Is Everywhere
8 Dec, 2011 By: Cyrena Respini-IrwinWith the help of the cloud, Autodesk is extending building information modeling in new directions.
Autodesk University (AU) is an annual conference that caters to all of the company's varied users, providing education and inspiration for architects, automotive designers, and animated filmmakers alike. During AU 2011, held last week in Las Vegas, Nevada, the big news for those of the AEC persuasion was the confluence of BIM (building information modeling) and the cloud.
During a press briefing, Jim Lynch, vice-president of AEC solutions for Autodesk, pointed out some key trends that are influencing the AEC industry: BIM is gathering momentum, especially in the infrastructure space. Owners are becoming more interested in the technology, and Autodesk is working to expand BIM across the building lifecycle, extending it into operations and maintenance. And of course, the combination of the cloud and mobile devices is making BIM tools accessible in new ways. "Let's face it — BIM is everywhere," said Lynch.
Although BIM adoption is accelerating around the world, Lynch acknowledged that the company isn't seeing much movement at the low end of the market. That's the motivation behind Autodesk Labs' Project Spark, a technology preview of a simplified 3D BIM solution. The attempt to create a lower-end BIM tool has roused interest among price-sensitive customers, Lynch reported.
Mark Strassman, vice-president of the Construction Solutions Business Unit, commented on the notable BIM uptake among builders, who benefit from the insights it provides about costs, schedules, and the like. He also noted that 75% of AEC workers perform their jobs in the field, not behind a desk — a number that makes mobile solutions even more resonant.
Paul McRoberts, vice-president of the Infrastructure Product Line Group, clarified that Autodesk does not have plans to move back into the facilities management (FM) space in the near term, but will continue to provide FM solutions through its partners, including FM:Systems. For Autodesk, the priority in the short term is not FM but asset management, and McRoberts indicated that a solution that connects Revit models with asset management is in the works.
Collaboration and Data Management in the Cloud
AU served as the debut venue for Autodesk 360 for BIM, a project collaboration software collection that takes BIM into the cloud. Intended to help AEC project team members better collaborate on, and communicate about, building projects, the solution manages multidiscipline models, drawings, and other project information.
Autodesk 360 for BIM comprises existing and new capabilities, including:
- Autodesk Vault Collaboration AEC. The heart of the package, this on-premise data management solution enables project teams to manage and track digital models without leaving their BIM design tools.
- Autodesk Buzzsaw. Enabled by Autodesk Cloud technology, the project collaboration solution enables secure exchanges of designs and documents with external partners and distributed teams. Buzzsaw has a mobile version, and integrates with AutoCAD WS. According to Autodesk, "By selectively and automatically mirroring data between the network-based Autodesk Vault and the Autodesk Buzzsaw cloud, project teams can more securely share information and better maintain accountability beyond the enterprise."
- Autodesk 360 Nexus. Although Autodesk 360 Nexus was introduced initially for the manufacturing industry, Autodesk also intends it to support configurable AEC workflow and business process management needs.
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About the Author: Cyrena Respini-Irwin
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